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Psalm 65[a]

Thanksgiving for God’s Blessings

For the leader. A psalm of David. A song.

I

To you we owe our hymn of praise,
    O God on Zion;
To you our vows[b] must be fulfilled,
    [c]you who hear our prayers.
To you all flesh must come(A)
    with its burden of wicked deeds.
We are overcome by our sins;
    only you can pardon them.(B)
Blessed the one whom you will choose and bring
    to dwell in your courts.
May we be filled with the good things of your house,
    your holy temple!

II

You answer us with awesome deeds[d] of justice,
    O God our savior,
The hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of those far off across the sea.(C)
You are robed in power,
    you set up the mountains by your might.
You still the roaring of the seas,(D)
    the roaring of their waves,
    the tumult of the peoples.(E)
Distant peoples stand in awe of your marvels;
    the places of morning and evening you make resound with joy.
10 [e]You visit the earth and water it,
    make it abundantly fertile.(F)
God’s stream[f] is filled with water;
    you supply their grain.
Thus do you prepare it:
11     you drench its plowed furrows,
    and level its ridges.
With showers you keep it soft,
    blessing its young sprouts.
12 You adorn the year with your bounty;
    your paths[g] drip with fruitful rain.
13 The meadows of the wilderness also drip;
    the hills are robed with joy.
14 The pastures are clothed with flocks,
    the valleys blanketed with grain;
    they cheer and sing for joy.(G)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 65 The community, aware of its unworthiness (Ps 65:3–4), gives thanks for divine bounty (Ps 65:5), a bounty resulting from God’s creation victory (Ps 65:6–9). At God’s touch the earth comes alive with vegetation and flocks (Ps 65:10–13).
  2. 65:2 Vows: the Israelites were accustomed to promising sacrifices in the Temple if their prayers were heard.
  3. 65:3 To you all flesh must come: all must have recourse to God’s mercy.
  4. 65:6 Awesome deeds: the acts of creating—installing mountains, taming seas, restraining nations (Ps 65:7–8)—that are visible worldwide (Ps 65:6, 9).
  5. 65:10–14 Apparently a description of the agricultural year, beginning with the first fall rains that soften the hard sun-baked soil (Ps 65:9–10).
  6. 65:10 God’s stream: the fertile waters of the earth derive from God’s fertile waters in the heavenly world.
  7. 65:12 Paths: probably the tracks of God’s storm chariot dropping rain upon earth.

Psalm 65[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

Praise awaits[b] you, our God, in Zion;(A)
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.(B)
You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.(C)
When we were overwhelmed by sins,(D)
    you forgave[c] our transgressions.(E)
Blessed are those you choose(F)
    and bring near(G) to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,(H)
    of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,(I)
    God our Savior,(J)
the hope of all the ends of the earth(K)
    and of the farthest seas,(L)
who formed the mountains(M) by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,(N)
who stilled the roaring of the seas,(O)
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.(P)
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.(Q)

You care for the land and water it;(R)
    you enrich it abundantly.(S)
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,(T)
    for so you have ordained it.[d]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers(U) and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,(V)
    and your carts overflow with abundance.(W)
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;(X)
    the hills are clothed with gladness.(Y)
13 The meadows are covered with flocks(Z)
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;(AA)
    they shout for joy and sing.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 65:1 In Hebrew texts 65:1-13 is numbered 65:2-14.
  2. Psalm 65:1 Or befits; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. Psalm 65:3 Or made atonement for
  4. Psalm 65:9 Or for that is how you prepare the land